The San Diego Workforce Partnership and Creating Coding Careers announced a new 12-week pre-apprenticeship program aimed at removing financial barriers to careers in software engineering for San Diego job seekers with no up-front cost.
Creating Coding Careers is designed to address skill shortages in San Diego’s fast-growing tech industries. By offering access through a Workforce Partnership Income Share Agreement (ISA), the program will provide career-advancing skills and education to San Diegans who struggle to pay education costs up front. “Most of my life, and during my career in software development, I haven’t seen engineers that looked like me. I know this is work that more people can do and crush it. Folks just need an opportunity to show their superpowers,” said Mike Roberts, CEO of Creating Coding Careers. “Through our collaboration with the Workforce Partnership, we’re able to provide opportunities for San Diegans to launch careers in software engineering.” To apply, interested individuals are encouraged to register directly through Creating Coding Careers. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
According to research from the San Diego Workforce Partnership, the region has seen double-digit growth in technology jobs in recent years, but the pipeline of graduates with the skills to succeed in those positions continues to lag behind. “For too many San Diegans, the cost of acquiring the skills and education to launch a software engineering career bars them from pursuing opportunities for social and economic mobility,” said Peter Callstrom, CEO of the Workforce Partnership. “This is about creating a new, sustainable model of workforce development that can also help employers address pressing tech talent shortages.” In response to this reality, Workforce Partnership is joining forces with Creating Coding Careers to offer San Diegans interested in software engineering the opportunity to get access to hands-on job training and education through a unique model that requires no money up front.
Because the payment amount scales with an individual’s salary, the ISA ensures that no graduate will face the burden of payment during times of financial hardship. Participants will also have access to a wraparound support system designed to help them succeed in both the classroom and the job market, including career coaching and mentoring, one-on-one support, and internship and job placement services.
Upon joining the apprenticeship, participants will sign an $8,000 ISA to cover the cost of training and will begin paying back the fund after they secure a job that pays more than $50,000 a year. After completing the 12-week apprenticeship program, graduates will receive a $2,100 stipend before joining Creating Coding Careers’ paid 12-month apprenticeship. Apprentices will be paid $18 an hour as they learn crucial coding skills by working on real projects for local employers.